S&W 19 vs Ruger Security Six

[kmrcstintn]

given the following:

S&W 19-4 (1977-78 vintage) w/ 4" barrel, pinned barrel & recessed chambers @95% condition, already own, spent $350 + $25 for Pachmayr grip

Ruger Security Six (serial # 158-XXXX) w/ 4" barrel, blued, @90% condition, costs $229, will pay @ $25 for Pachmayr grip

1) is the S&W 'K frame' notch in the forcing cone the 'achilles heel' of the design (ie: moderate to heavy use of magnum loads in the 110 gr, 158 gr, and 180 gr groupings) ~ 110 gr jhp's for defense, 158 gr loads for hunting & target, 180 gr loads for bear defense

2) is the Ruger stronger in its design (other than the ejection rod which can work loose) & can handle the same magnum loads better

3) would the Ruger make a better hiking/camp defense/woods walking/car defense gun due to price

brand loyalty & nostalgia put aside (I'm already nostaligc or I would just have 686 & GP100), what do you feel is the better overall gun & why? thanks

 

[ZeSpectre]

DISCLAIMER: I have a special fondness for the Security Six.

Having stated my bias I'll say that a well maintained Six is about the toughest handgun I know of short of the modern "new model" Blackhawks.

 

[GrandmasterB]

$229 is a good price these days for a nice Security Six. You are certainly well armed with your K Frame, but the Ruger will hold up to more shooting of hot loads for a longer period of time.

I have a soft spot for the Security Six and own multiple. I love S&W's too, but there is something special about these Rugers.

 

[Cron]

I've owned both. I still own the model 19. The Ruger is stronger but I've put about 8000 rounds through the 19 with no problems at all. Almost all were 158 JHPs and JSPs. The model 19 has a much smoother action, is more accurate and better looking than the Ruger. The star extractor on the Ruger had a habit of not reseating properly. Probably easily correctable but I traded it off and didn't regret it.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

There was a time when I never thought I would say this but older, "P&R" S&Ws like this are starting to climb in value and you might not want to beat it up.

But, having said that, I think the S&W's forcing cone being an "Achilles' heel" is overstating it a little. These issues seem to be mostly with the fire-breathing full-power 125-grain magnums, and then only with a lot of them, fired rapidly. More normal usage is not going to wear it out.

 

[slick6]

The Security-six is way stronger than the S&W Model 19 and is just as accurate. However, there are variances in any given gun Brand. The Model 19 forcing cone problem can be serious-because if a crack develops you would be out of luck, since S&W no longer can supply replacement barrels! Ruger still has a large inventory of "Six Series" Revolver parts.

 

[ciwsguy]

Not shoot a S&W 19? No way. I don't shoot that much anyway, but mine is for shooting, not just for visual pleasure.

 

[Bearhands]

I own a Mod 19-4 P&R in 95+% condition and I will shoot it till I'm too old to shoot using only 158gr as was intended.... I've also always wanted a Security Six and I'll eventually find one, they're fine revolvers and having both would be just about all I'd want, cept maybe a fine Blackhawk .

 

[ZeSpectre]

The model 19 has a much smoother action, is more accurate and better looking than the Ruger.

Chron, we're gonna have to just agree to disagree I think.
While I also think that the model 19 is a little prettier than the "Six" series I've shot plenty of both and both of my "Sixes" have the sweetest action/triggers you can imagine. The blued one because it's been shot a bazillion times, the stainless because I did a very gentle trigger job.




As for accuracy...

Stainless at 45ft, two handed, single action, 12 rds.


Blued at 30 ft, ONE HANDED WITH NO SUPPORT, single action, 12 rds. (Yes I was having a VERY good day )


I did have to pull the pretty wood off that stainless one and put some pachmayers on because as nice as the wood looked the grip was just all wrong for me.

 

[Rexster]

If this involves trading or selling the M19 to get the Security Six, I would say NO WAY! If this is just a general question, about which is the better weapon, well, that is not so easy to answer. The Ruger may stand up to more of the hot jacketed light-bullet loads that erode forcing cones, but why anyone would want to shoot mass quantities of those loads through a K-frame is beyond my understanding. If I ever get my hands on another good M19, I will keep it forever, and that will include using it for CCW and sane practice loads. For so long, good M19s were common on the market, but that is no longer true; they are rare, and expensive. Decent Security Sixes seem relatively common, and inexpensive. I have two Security Sixes, 4" and 6", both fine sixguns, but my favorite Ruger Six is a 4" Speed Six. No sane amount of money would persuade me to part with it, but don't think it is a safe queen; it is a regular carry piece.

 

[Rexster]

If this involves trading or selling the M19 to get the Security Six, I would say NO WAY! If this is just a general question, about which is the better weapon, well, that is not so easy to answer. The Ruger may stand up to more of the hot jacketed light-bullet loads that erode forcing cones, but why anyone would want to shoot mass quantities of those loads through a K-frame is beyond my understanding. If I ever get my hands on another good M19, I will keep it forever, and that will include using it for CCW and sane practice loads. For so long, good M19s were common on the market, but that is no longer true; they are rare, and expensive. Decent Security Sixes seem relatively common, and inexpensive. I have two Security Sixes, 4" and 6", both fine sixguns, but my favorite Ruger Six is a 4" Speed Six. No sane amount of money would persuade me to part with it, but don't think it is a safe queen; it is a regular carry piece.

 

[W.E.G.]

Both are excellent guns.

I think you are debating Corvette vs. Porsche.

The Smith will probably have a slightly better single-action trigger.
(better than the already very-good Ruger single-action trigger)

The Smith may have a higher polish than the Ruger.
I won't comment on the which-is-better of that.

 

[kmrcstintn]

to clarify...no trade or sell the S&W 19 to get the Ruger security six...

the 19 is my only .357 mag & was intended to be for a while due to financial stuff coming up; I haven't been able to get a good used .357 magnum anything except Rossi for under $350...until the Security six came available; til now, since it was going to be my only .357 magnum revolver, the S&W 19 was going to see a variety of loads to include the ultralight 110 gr hollowpoints (easier to control than the 125 gr full house loads) and the hard cast 180 gr loads (bear defense while scouting higher on the mountain at the hunting grounds)

I'm just contemplating whether to buy the Security Six or get an up-to-date digital camera (haven't had one for over 5 years) and an external hard drive (to back-up/sync files from the new computer)...if the K frame can stand moderate amounts, why not just use it for all my intended purposes...that was the impetus for my inquiry

 

[Confederate]

I love both revolvers, but there's no contest as to which is the better gun and the better deal. The chances are, unless you're a power shooter, that it won't make much difference which gun you get. The S&W will have more of a resale value, but gun writer Skeeter Skelton (may he RIP) said he knew of three Security-Sixes that had each had fired over 30,000 rounds of factory magnum ammo. Only one of the three, he said, was slightly out of time, but the other two were going strong. And fixing an out-of-time SS is much cheaper and easier than fixing an out-of-time Smiths. In fact, many users can do it.

Now no Model 19 will get anywhere near 30,000 rounds of magnum ammo through it. A techie friend at the NRA back in the '80s told me a K-frame will normally need retiming after about 2,000-2,500 hot magnum rounds. And after two or thee retimings, frame warping becomes a problem. (Stainless will always give you a bit more.)

Bill Ruger said he never made a dime off the Security-Six, which means the price was always kept artificially low. I keep my stainless SSs in pristine condition, but hate taking them to the range, not because they don't work, but because people keep tring to buy them off me -- especially my 6-incher!

If you want a really sweet setup, grind the grips to a round butt configuration and put on a set of compact Pachmayrs. On a 2.75-incher they're dynamite; on a 4- or 6-incher, they're nuclear!

 

[absolute0]

NOTHING CAN TOUCH A MODEL 19 IN A MID SIZED WHEELGUN!!

There, I said it

 

[slick6]

Well, you are right that the Model 19 is the most popular gun-at least in the scrap heap-since the Security-Sixes will just keep on clicking and keep on ticking, whenever the last model 19's have hit the junk pile!

Now, after saying the above, I must tell you that I have three beautiful Model 19's in my collection!

 

[slick6]

Delted double post!

 

[Phil DeGraves]

The M19 is a TERRIFIC .38 (yes I know it's a .357). It's a better .38 than the Security Six. The Security Six is a better .357.

 

[bikerdoc]

have both, imo very slight edge to the ruger

 

[dispatch]

to clarify...no trade or sell the S&W 19 to get the Ruger security six
YES, buy the Security Six. If you tire of it, I'll take it off your hands at the same price.

 

[Joe the Redneck]

Get the Model 19

Nothing wrong with the Ruger, fine gun.

Buy the Smith

 

[wnycollector]

I just picked up my first Ruger last weekend (2.75" SS security six). I have read for years how overbuilt ruger revolvers are but WOW when I compared the topstrap of the ruger to my two N frame S&W's...its looks like the same size! I al VERY happy to have added my 1st ruger to my collection! I say buy the ruger and enjoy!

 

[TonyB]

I love my sec. 6(my father gave it me for christmas this year)but the mod. 19 mis good too...I'd say yes to both....skip the eating out for a couple of weeks and get both.....or sell a kidney on the internet.It's woth it.

 

[Jumpin4Joy]

Get that Ruger and save the difference in price for ammo. MY SS is a great shooter.

 

[RON in PA]

Yes the SS is probably a tougher gun than the M19 when shot with 125 grain full house magnum loads, (110 grainers are also hard on guns) but Ruger did have trouble with SSs fed a steady diet of hot magnums. That's one reason for the GP100. This needs to mentioned every so often because people think the SSs are as tough as N frames, L frames or GP100s.

Not making this up folks, it's in the book about Ruger and his guns.